Driveway and Concrete Cleaning in Dothan, AL

Concrete is the one surface where real pressure is usually the right tool. A driveway, front walk, patio or pool deck takes a beating from weather, cars, trees and foot traffic, and in a humid climate it slowly darkens with mildew until the whole slab looks a shade or two grayer than it should. Call (334) 621-3439 and we will connect you with an independent local provider in the Dothan area who cleans concrete. We are a referral service, not the cleaning company.

What stains Wiregrass concrete

• Mildew and algae. Concrete is porous and holds moisture. Shaded sections under trees or along the north side of the house grow dark mildew and, in wet spots, green algae that can get slick underfoot.
• Red and orange clay runoff. Heavy summer storms wash soil from flower beds and lawns across walks and the bottom of driveways, leaving orange-tan fans that soak into the surface.
• Tire marks and oil. Hot tires leave dark tracks, and older vehicles drip oil and transmission fluid where they park.
• Pine straw and leaf tannins. Wet pine straw, oak leaves and pollen sitting on concrete leave brown shadows behind.
• Rust. Fertilizer pellets, metal furniture and iron-rich water can leave orange spots.

How professionals clean concrete

Most providers use a surface cleaner, a round, hooded tool with spinning nozzles that rides on the concrete. It cleans evenly and avoids the zebra stripes and wand marks that a handheld pressure wand often leaves. Edges, steps and corners are then detailed with a wand.

The steps usually look like this: sweep or blow off debris, pretreat mildew and organic staining with a cleaning solution, surface clean, rinse, and then post-treat with a light application that keeps working on remaining dark spots and slows regrowth. Oil and rust stains are treated separately with degreasers or rust removers, which cost extra on many quotes.

Some crews use hot water for heavy grease, which helps on shop floors and commercial pads. On brick pavers and stamped or colored concrete, pressure is turned down to protect joint sand and surface color.

Driveways, walks, patios and more

A typical concrete cleaning job can include the driveway, front sidewalk, the walk to the street, the front porch slab, a back patio and the pool deck. Many providers price the whole package together, which often costs less per square foot than cleaning one small area on its own. If you have a long rural driveway, say so up front; gravel and dirt drives are not cleaned this way, but a concrete apron or parking pad can be.

What concrete cleaning typically costs

As a typical national-guide range, many homeowners pay roughly $100 to $350 to have a driveway pressure washed, with cost guides commonly listing about $0.20 to $0.40 per square foot. Large driveways, heavy staining, oil spots and rust treatment raise the price, and many companies have a minimum charge. Optional sealing after cleaning is often listed at roughly $250 to $770. These are general guides, not local quotes; ask for a written price that lists what is included. Our cost guide has more.

Timing and how long it lasts

Driveway cleaning can be done most of the year in southeast Alabama. Many homeowners schedule it right after pine pollen season, before hosting a graduation or a holiday gathering, or before listing a house for sale. A typical driveway and walk takes an hour or two. Concrete dries within a few hours on a warm day, and you can usually drive on it the same day. In full shade, mildew may return within a year; in full sun, a clean slab can look good much longer.

Concrete in Dothan: runoff and timing

Most Dothan driveways slope toward the street, and the curb inlet at the bottom belongs to the city's storm sewer system, which Dothan has managed under a stormwater general permit since 2003. The city's ordinance treats discharges into that system that are not entirely stormwater as illicit discharges, with listed exceptions, and the city's Engineering Services office takes reports. Clear rinse water is one thing; degreaser from an oil stain or a slurry of mildew treatment is another. Ask the provider how they handle it. Common answers include blocking the inlet, spot-treating oil with absorbent and picking up the residue, and steering water onto the lawn.

Timing in the Wiregrass is mostly about pollen and harvest. Pine pollen can start in February in a warm year, and tree pollen often lingers into June, so a driveway cleaned in March may go yellow again within days. July and August are Dothan's wettest months on average under NOAA's 1991-2020 normals, and those storms wash the most red soil across walks, so clay stain treatment usually pays off best after summer rather than before it. If the city ever moves to a Stage IV water emergency, its conservation plan prohibits washing driveways, patios and other paved areas, so check with Dothan Utilities during a drought. See our rules and seasons guide for the details.

Should you seal it?

Sealing is optional. A penetrating sealer can slow staining and make future cleaning easier, while a film-forming sealer can add a wet look but may get slippery. Concrete has to be fully dry before sealing, which often means waiting a day or more after washing. Ask the provider what product they use and how long it is expected to last.

What to ask before you hire

• Do you use a surface cleaner, or just a wand?
• Is pretreatment and post-treatment included, or extra?
• What will it cost to treat oil, rust or clay stains, and how much improvement should I expect?
• Where will the rinse water go, and how will you protect my lawn and beds?
• Can I see your certificate of liability insurance?

Alabama does not have a state license written specifically for pressure washing or soft washing. Providers generally need a business license from the city they work in, such as the City of Dothan, and some counties issue their own business licenses too. Because there is no state trade license to look up, proof of insurance is the more useful thing to ask for: a current certificate of general liability insurance that covers damage to your property, plants or vehicles. If the job grows into repairs, painting or carpentry, ask whether any other license applies to that part of the work. Inside Dothan city limits, the city requires a business license for anyone doing business there, handled by Business Services in the Finance Department, and those licenses expire every December 31. Houston County issues its own license through the Probate Office. A provider who works in Dothan regularly should have no trouble telling you they are current.

Frequently asked questions

Areas we serve

We connect callers across Dothan, Enterprise, Ozark, Headland and the Wiregrass of southeast Alabama, including:

• Dothan
• Enterprise
• Ozark
• Headland
• Taylor
• Kinsey
• Cowarts
• Ashford
• Webb
• Rehobeth
• Daleville
• Abbeville
• Slocomb
• Houston County
• Dale County

Local pages: Enterprise, Ozark, Taylor.

Related services

• House Washing & Soft Washing
• Roof Soft Washing
• Deck & Fence Cleaning
• Commercial & Storefront Washing
• Gutter Brightening